Grid-like building panel framework

ABSTRACT

A framework type building panel having opposed first and second sides is formed of primary and secondary structural members, each primary member having a web and a flange connected to form a T-shaped cross-section, and each secondary member being a flat board having parallel side surfaces. The panel includes a first series of the primary members which are parallel to each other with their flanges defining the first side of the panel, and a second series of the secondary members which extend transversely to the primary members and have outer side surfaces defining the second side of the panel, the primary members having their web outer edges attached to inner overlying surfaces of the secondary members. The panel further includes two additional flat boards forming the opposite ends of said panel and each connected to aligned ends of said primary members.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to building panels, particularly for the construction of houses. The invention is particularly concerned with a framework or skeleton panel which is formed as a grid of intersecting members, usually of wood-based material. The term “panel” will be used herein to include such a panel framework, and does not imply that this is a finished panel with insulation and/or facing sheets.

2. Prior Art

It is known to construct houses and other buildings from panels which are factory made, and which usually contain insulation. Examples of patents showing such panels are as follows:

-   U.S. Pat. No. 4,671,032, which issued Jun. 9, 1987 to Reynolds; -   U.S. Pat. No. 4,765,105, which issued Aug. 23, 1988 to Tissington et     al.; -   U.S. Pat. No. 4,894,974, which issued Jan. 23, 1990 to Mayhew et al. -   U.S. Pat. No. 5,157,892, issued Jun. 9, 1987 to Ryther; and -   U.S. Pat. No. 5,617,700, issued Apr. 8, 1997 to Wright et al.

Applicant has had considerable experience both with the panels of the last-mentioned '700 patent, of which he is co-inventor, and with those of the Tisssington et al. patent. Both these patents are concerned with factory made panels having a framework made of wood members, and insulated with rigid foam insulation injected between the wood members in the factory. In the last-mentioned patent, dimensional lumber is used to provide strength, while in the Tissington et al patent it is preferred to use board such as oriented strand board (OSB). OSB is cheaper than standard dimensional lumber and is more resistant to warping. These panels have been used to construct over one thousand buildings of many different types, with great success.

Panels of the type shown in the Tisssington et al. patent and in the '700 patent have great potential in export markets, since buildings can be erected with these panels using largely unskilled labor. However, it become apparent to Applicant that a serious drawback of these and similar panels, i.e panels fully assembled and insulated in the factory, is that the bulkiness of the insulation leads to high shipping costs which are disadvantageous for export markets.

The shipping costs can be much reduced by shipping a kit of structural members which can easily be assembled into a panel on site, without the need to ship the insulation. This led Applicant to design a new kind of panel, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,901,524, issued May 11, 1999 (corresponding to Can. Pat. Appln. No.2,245,299, filed Aug. 19, 1998), and which provides a series of notched T-pieces which can readily be assembled on site to form panels. The T-pieces can also be used to form composite structural beams, especially as described in Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 6,343,453, issued Feb. 5, 2002, and in corresponding Can.Pat. Appln.No.2,298,292, filed Feb. 4, 2000. Panels in accordance with the U.S. '524 patent have been successfully used in constructing a number of houses.

The panels of the U.S. '524 patent are readily assembled in prescribed manner by fitting together the notched T-pieces, and openings for windows and doors can be provided in these panels by cutting through the wooden T-pieces. However, it has been realized that there are advantages in using T-pieces and other components which are un-notched, so that the panels can be assembled in a more flexible manner, and with less waste when window and door openings are to be provided. Avoiding notches in the members also has the advantage of making the strength of the framework more readily calculable and therefore more acceptable in relation to building codes.

The present invention accordingly is concerned with a panel in the form of a framework which can be shipped in disassembled form. The structural members of the panel are preferably un-notched, but can easily be assembled on site or in a factory by relatively unskilled workers by using a jig, to form a rigid panel framework. Insulation, and facing sheets for example of plywood, OSB, or many other materials, can be added in accordance with local requirements and availability.

Panels formed as grids of crossing, interlocking members, are not new per se, and the aforesaid Mayhew and Ryther patents, as well as Applicant's aforesaid U.S. '700 patent, show such panels. However, the present invention has advantages over those prior patents similar to those found in Applicant's U.S. '524 patent, namely that the grid forming members are wide enough to reliably receive nails for the facing sheets. Also, unlike in prior art panels, there is no need for edging members different from those of the basic panel itself.

As with the members used in the U.S. '524 patent, the T-pieces used in the panels can also be used to produce beams and joists needed for building a house. In fact it is possible to construct houses almost entirely from panels, joists and other parts produced from a few types of structural member, as will be described, along with facing sheets, and insulation if required, which can be obtained locally. This avoids the need to organise shipments of the many different structural members usually needed to make a house, and avoids problems which frequently occur if there is a shortage or breakage of one or two structural members of a specialized design.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a building panel framework, having opposite first and second sides, is formed of a plurality of primary and secondary structural members of wood-based material, wherein each primary member has a web and a flange connected to form a T-shaped cross-section, the flanges being suitable for receiving nails, and wherein each said secondary member is in the form of a flat board having parallel side surfaces. The panel includes a first series of the primary members which are spaced apart and parallel to each other with their flanges defining the first side of the panel, and a second series of secondary members which are spaced apart and parallel to each other and extend transversely to the primary members and have outer side surfaces defining the second side of the panel, the primary members of the first series having their web outer edges attached to inner overlying surfaces of the secondary members.

The panel further includes two additional of the said secondary members forming first and second opposite ends of the panel, normally the top and bottom ends, and each additional secondary member is connected to aligned ends of the primary members.

The use of T-shaped structural members and boards allows each side of the panel to be constituted either by flanges or boards which can readily receive nails or other fixing means for facing sheets. Also, T-shaped structural members are more rigid than the flat members used in the panels of Mayhew and Ryther, referred to above.

The panel has first and second edges joining the first and second ends. Preferably the primary members include, at the first edge of the panel, an edge member which is parallel to and has the same dimensions as the primary members of the said series but which is rotated 90° about a longitudinal axis relative to the orientation of the primary members of the series, this edge member having its web directed inwardly of the panel and having an edge of its flange connected to inner surfaces of the secondary members, this flange thus comprising the first edge of the panel. Also, preferably the primary members are dimensioned so that the flange comprising this first edge of the panel is equivalent in width to the web of a primary member at the second edge of the panel and is suitable for fitting closely against the primary member web at the second edge of an adjacent similar panel.

Preferably also, the width of each secondary member is equivalent to the overall depth of the panel, which depth includes the width of the web and the thickness of the flange of each primary member, plus the thickness of the secondary members. Also, the primary member flanges and the secondary members preferably have the same thickness. Since the primary member flange and web have the same width, the overall depth of the panel may also be stated as the flange width plus twice the thickness of the flange. As will be explained below, these dimensional relationships allow the primary member T-pieces to be used in differing orientations while maintaining the same overall depth of the panel.

When, as is usual, these panels form are wall panels, the primary members, as the strongest members, will be vertical. Where additional strength is required for vertical members, especially at the sides of door or window openings, the panel may include one or more duplex primary members, each such duplex primary member having two of the T-shaped members each with a flange and a web and in which one side of a web is positioned at the centerline of the connected flange, the two T-shaped members being connected with oppositely directed webs overlapping and with their flange edges co-planar. These duplex primary members are arranged with their inner flange edges connected to the secondary members and with their webs parallel to the sides of the panel.

In an alternative construction of panel, all of the normally vertical primary members of a panel are duplex members as described. As before, each secondary member is in the form of a flat board having parallel side surfaces, and the duplex primary members have inner flange edges attached to inner overlying surfaces of the secondary members.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which;

FIG. 1 shows a top view of one form of the novel panel from which a top end member has been removed to show the vertical T-shaped primary members, and also shows a portion of an adjacent attached panel;

FIG. 1 a is a detail top view of a portion of the panel showing a typical primary member;

FIG. 1 b is a detail top view on a joint at the edge of the same panel showing the attachment of an edge primary member of the adjacent panel;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the panel in partially completed form, again with a portion of an attached panel;

FIG. 3 shows a side view of a partially completed panel about to be split to allow addition of parts providing a doorway;

FIG. 4 shows a top view of the same panel;

FIG. 5 shows a side view of the finished panel with doorway;

FIG. 6 shows an enlarged sectional view of part of the panel on lines 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 shows a further enlarged fragmentary section of a duplex primary member taken on lines 7-7 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 shows a side view of a panel having a window opening;

FIG. 9 shows an enlarged sectional view of part of the same panel on lines 9-9;

FIG. 10 shows a horizontally sectioned, fragmentary view of the construction of a corner between the door panel of FIG. 5 and the window panel of FIG. 8 and incorporating an additional corner post;

FIG. 11 shows an end view of an I-beam making use of the same structural elements as the panels and which may be used to support a floor of a house;

FIG. 12 shows a side view of a roof truss also using structural members similar to those used in the panels, and

FIG. 13 shows a top plan view of a basement wall using structural members similar to those of the panels shown in preceding views.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The panel P shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 includes a first series of parallel primary members 10 which are T-shaped structural members each comprising a flange 12 and a web 14 both formed of {fraction (3/4)} inch thick oriented strand board (OSB). The flange 12 has a width A (indicated in FIG. 1 a) of 4 inches, and has a dado groove which receives the inner edge of the web 14 to which it is strongly glued; these T-pieces are preferably factory-produced. The web has a height B above the flange which is also 4 inches; i.e. A=B, so that the web gives the member an overall height C of 4¾ inches. The web 14 is located in off-set manner so that one of its sides is at the center of the flange for reasons which will become clear shortly.

The panel also includes a second series of parallel secondary members 16 which are simple flat boards having width dimension of 5½ inches and a thickness “t” of {fraction (3/4)} inches, which is the same as the thickness of flange 12. These secondary members 16 are arranged perpendicularly to the primary members to form a grid, and are attached, by means of nails or screws, to the outer edges of the primary member webs as indicated in FIGS. 1 and 2. These boards give the panel an overall depth “D” (FIG. 1 a) of 5½ inches, corresponding to the width of the secondary members, and the opposite ends of the panel which normally constitute the top and bottom ends of a wall panel are enclosed by end members 16′ which are identical to the secondary members 16 and which span the overall depth of the panel, and which are fixed by screws or nails to the aligned ends of the primary members. It will be noted from FIG. 1 a that the overall depth “D” of the panel is equivalent to the flange width dimension “A” (since A=B) plus twice the board thickness “t”; these dimensional relationships are useful in allowing different orientations of the primary member T-pieces as described below.

FIGS. 1 and 1 b show the construction at the lateral edges of the panel, i.e. the edges which will normally be vertical when the panel is a wall panel. At a first edge, at the left in FIG. 1, the primary member 10′, which is identical in dimensions to the other primary members, is rotated 90° about its axis relative to the remaining primary members, and has one edge of its flange 12′ fastened to end margins of the secondary members 16, with its web 14′ projecting inwardly of the panel and lying parallel to the panel sides. As shown in FIG. 1 b, the corresponding primary member 10′ of an adjacent second panel can have its flange 12′ fitted and fastened against the web 14 of the primary member at the second edge of the first panel; having dimensions A=B allows a good fit as illustrated.

The panels can readily be formed from factory produced primary and secondary members by relatively unskilled labor, using a jig to position the pieces. The assembled members provide a panel with good rigidity, even before facing sheets are applied.

The panel framework can be finished by applying insulation, if needed, electrical wiring, and facing sheets or siding may be nailed onto the flanges on the opposed sides. The insulation may be batts fitted in between the members. The facing sheets may be material obtained locally such as stucco grid or plywood sheets. Unlike in prior art patents showing grid construction, the facing sheets can readily be attached with nails, since these can be driven into the relatively wide flanges 12 and boards 16, and one does not have to rely on driving nails into the narrow edges of the OSB material. The panels produced as described are typically square and have a length and height of slightly over 8 feet; this allows standard 8 foot lengths of OSB boards 12,14,16, etc. to be used.

FIGS. 3 to 6 illustrate how a panel of the type described can be modified to form a panel with a doorway. These figures show what is normally the inside of the wall panel.

Firstly, a panel P′ is produced generally as described, except that the secondary member board 16 at the eventual top of the panel is omitted, as are the boards 16′ forming the top and bottom ends of the panel; this partly formed panel is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The secondary members 16 are then cut through along a line X-X as indicated in FIG. 3, to divide the panel in two, and the two parts are separated. Then, duplex primary members 20, described below, which run the full height of the panel, are attached to the cut and projecting inner end portions of the boards 16 to form sides or jambs of the doorway. Also, the usual top and bottom end boards 16′ are attached to the top and bottom of the panel, running the full panel width, this width being wider than the 8 foot width of the basic panel P.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show the construction of the duplex primary members 20. Each constitutes two of the same T-shaped primary members 10 previously described, which are shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 as 10 a and 10 b, having their flanges 12″ spaced apart by their inwardly directed webs 14″ which are attached together in overlapping relationship. By virtue of the off-set nature of the webs as described above, in this situation the flanges 12″ of the members 10 a and 10 b have their outer edges co-planar and are suitable for attachment to the overlying end portions of secondary members 16, as shown in FIG. 6. Also, an extended secondary member 16 a, long enough to span the panel width, is fitted along the top of the inner side of the panel and is attached to upper end portions of the primary and duplex members 10 and 20. A short secondary member 16 b has its ends attached to the duplex members 20, on the same inner side of the panel, to form a top or header of the doorway; a corresponding member is used at the outer side of the panel, and the bottom of the header is closed by a horizontal board 16 b′ of the usual 5½ inch width. Portions of the duplex members 20 exposed on the inner side of the panel between these horizontal boards 16, 16 a and 16 b are closed in by short length vertical boards 22; these being formed from the same 5½ inch wide boards used as the secondary members 16. On the outer side of the panel the duplex members 20 are closed in by vertical boards 24 which have the full height of the panel and the same 5½ width as the secondary members 16, these boards having outer surfaces which are co-planar with those of the primary member flanges 12 as shown in FIG. 6. This construction provides duplex primary members 20 which constitute relatively strong 5½ inch square posts for the doorway jambs. A standard door frame, such as shown at DF in FIG. 7, can then be inserted within frame members 20 and below board 16 b.

In some circumstances it is preferred to make a panel in which all of the vertical primary members are the stronger duplex members 20 just described. This occurs for example where the panel must accommodate a large window, as with the panel shown in FIGS. 8 and 9.

In the window panel of FIGS. 8 and 9, the four full height members 20, and one short vertical member 20 a, are formed identically to the duplex members 20 of the doorway panel described above, each constituting basically two T-pieces 10 a and 10 b. On the inner side of the panel three horizontal secondary board members 16 of the usual 5½ inch width are provided which overly the front of the flange edges of the T-pieces members 10 a and 10 b, the uppermost of these horizontal members 16 c forming the bottom of the window opening. An additional, a wider board member 16 d of 11½ inch width is similarly attached to the upper end portions of the duplex members 20 and forms the top or header of the window opening. The fronts of duplex members 20 between these horizontal members are closed by short vertical pieces of board 22. The outer side of the panel has the same horizontal members 16 c and 16 d below and above the window opening, but the lower horizontal members 16 are not required on the outside and vertical board members 24 can be applied to the full length of the duplex members below the member 16 c, as well as between members 16 c and 16 d. Top and bottom board members 16′ are also applied to the ends of the duplex members, and horizontal members 16 c′ and 16 d′ are used to join the inner and outer members 16 c and 16 d below and above the window opening. All of the board members, except member 16 d, are of the standard 5½ width and ¾ thickness.

FIG. 10 shows a horizontal section through a typical corner construction connecting two panels, in this case the door and window panels as described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 8, and which incorporates an additional corner post. The right hand end duplex member 20 of the window panel is identical to the duplex members 20 shown in FIG. 9, and the end primary member 10′ of the door panel is the same as the left hand primary member 10′ shown in FIGS. 1, 1 b, 5 and 6. These end parts of the panels are connected via corner post 20′ which is similar to the duplex member 20 at the end of the window panel, but having full height front and rear panels 22, 24. The post 20′ is connected to the window panel member 20 by nails or screws joining the adjacent flanges 12‘’ of the duplex member T-pieces, and the end flange 12′ of the door panel primary member 10′ is similarly connected to the vertical board portions 22 of the corner post 20′.

FIG. 11 shows how the primary member T-pieces 10 can be combined with board members, preferably the 11½ inch wide board member 16 d, to make a joist 30 for supporting a floor or roof. The details of how the members 10 and 16 d may be connected together with a staggered overlap of these parts are given in my corresponding Can.Pat.Appln. No.2,298,292, and in U.S. Pat. No. 6,343,453, as aforesaid.

FIG. 12 shows a roof truss made of the primary member T-pieces 10 and boards which may be the same as secondary member boards 16 as described for the first panel. The T-pieces 10 form two rafters 40 connected together at the peak of the roof by bolts through their webs 14, and a third tie beam member 42 connected to the outer ends of the rafters 40 also by bolts through overlying webs 14, the flanges 12 of the members being outermost. The truss is stiffened by short sections of boards 44 bolted to the webs 14 of the main truss members 40 and 42 to form a triangulated structure. The boards 44 may be the same 5½ inch boards 16 as used in the panel, but may alternatively be 4 inch width boards; all these members are preferably formed of {fraction (3/4)} inch thick OSB.

All of the panels described above, and the I-beam 30 of FIG. 11 and the truss of FIG. 12, can be constructed with only three different types of member, namely the T-pieces 10 as described, and 5½ inch wide boards, and the 11½ inch boards 16 d. Thus most of the structural requirements of a house can be provided by these three parts. However, additional members may be used; for example 4 inch wide boards, equivalent to the material used for the flanges 12 of the T-pieces, may be used to fill in the duplex members and create virtually solid posts.

FIG. 13 shows a plan view of a basement panel 50 which may also be made of members similar to those described for the panel, but in which the wooden material used is impregnated so as to be suitable for basement level conditions. As shown, the panel has two outer sheets 52 separated by vertical members 54 somewhat similar to the duplex members described in relation to FIGS. 5 to 10, but further reinforced and used at a closer spacing, preferably at 16 inch centers. Each member 54 comprises two T-pieces 10, having their inwardly directed webs 14 secured together, and with their flanges 12 parallel to and secured to the outer sheets 52; this is unlike the window panel where the flanges are perpendicular to the panel sides. The members 54 are further strengthened by side members 56 which have the same 5% inch width and thickness as the secondary panel members 16; this results in a vertical member which is 5% inches square. As indicated in the right-hand member 54′, the member can further be strengthened by the addition of 4 inch wide members 58, shown in broken lines, on the inner sides of the boards 56. 

1. A framework type rectangular building panel, having opposed first and second sides, first and second opposite ends and first and second opposite edges, said panel being formed of a plurality of primary and secondary structural members of wood based material, wherein each said primary member has a web and a flange connected to form a T-shaped cross-section, said flanges being suitable for receiving nails, and wherein each said secondary member is in the form of a flat board having parallel side surfaces, the panel including a first series of said primary members which are spaced apart and parallel to each other with their flanges defining the first side of the panel, and a second series of said secondary members which are spaced apart and parallel to each other and extend transversely to said primary members and have outer side surfaces defining the second side of the panel, the primary members of said first series having their web outer edges attached to inner overlying surfaces of the secondary members, the panel further including two additional said secondary members forming said opposite ends of said panel and each connected to aligned ends of said primary members.
 2. A panel according to claim 1, wherein the primary members include an edge member which is parallel to, and has the same dimensions as, the primary members of said series but which is rotated 90° about a longitudinal axis relative to the primary members of said series, said edge member having its web directed inwardly of the panel and having an outer edge of its flange connected to said inner surfaces of the secondary members, said flange comprising a first outer edge of the panel, and wherein said primary members are dimensioned so that said flange comprising the first outer edge of the panel is equivalent in width to the web of a primary member at the second edge of the panel and is suitable for fitting closely against the second edge primary member web of an adjacent similar panel.
 3. A panel according to claim 1, wherein the width of each secondary member is equivalent to the overall depth of the panel, which includes the width of the web and the thickness of the flange of each primary member, plus the thickness of the secondary members.
 4. A panel according to claim 2, wherein the width of each secondary member is equivalent to the overall depth of the panel, which includes the width of the web and the thickness of the flange of each primary member, plus the thickness of the secondary members.
 5. A panel according to claim 1, wherein said primary members are identical and are dimensioned so that each said flange has a width “A” equal to the width “B” of its web, and each flange is equal in thickness “t” to that of the secondary member, and wherein the overall depth of the panel is equivalent to the flange width “A” plus twice the thickness dimension “It”.
 6. A panel according to claim 1, wherein both said primary and secondary members are free of notches.
 7. A panel according to claim 2, wherein both said primary and secondary members are free of notches.
 8. A panel according to claim 3, wherein both said primary and secondary members are free of notches.
 9. A panel according to claim 4, wherein both said primary and secondary members are free of notches.
 10. A panel according to claim 1, which also includes one or more duplex primary members, each such duplex primary member including two members each having a flange and a web connected to form a T-shaped cross-section and in which one side of a web is positioned at the centerline of the connected flange, said two members being connected with oppositely directed webs overlapping and with their flange edges co-planar, said duplex primary members being arranged with inner flange edges connected to overlying secondary members and with their webs parallel to the sides of the panel.
 11. A framework type rectangular building panel, having opposed first and second sides, first and second opposite ends and first and second opposite edges, said panel being formed of a plurality of primary and secondary structural members of wood based material, wherein said primary members are duplex primary members, each such member including two T-shaped members, each said T-shaped member having a flange and a web connected to form a T-shaped cross-section and in which one side of a web is positioned at the centerline of the connected flange, said two T-shaped members being connected together with their webs oppositely directed and overlapping and connected, and with their flange edges co-planar, and wherein each said secondary member is in the form of a flat board having parallel side surfaces, the panel including a first series of said duplex primary members which are spaced apart and parallel to each other with their flanges edges adjacent to and parallel to the first side of the panel, and a second series of said secondary members which are spaced apart and parallel to each other and extend transversely to said duplex primary members and have outer side surfaces defining the second side of the panel, the duplex primary members of said first series having inner flange edges attached to inner overlying surfaces of the secondary members.
 12. The panel according to claim 11, further including two additional said secondary members forming said opposite ends of said panel and each connected to aligned ends of said duplex primary members.
 13. A panel according to claim 11, wherein said T-shaped members are identical and are dimensioned so that each said flange has a width “A” equal to the width “B” of its web, and each flange is equal in thickness “t” to that of the secondary members, and wherein the overall depth of the panel is equivalent to the flange width “A” plus twice the thickness dimension “t”. 